10 Colorado Hiking Areas Where You Should Take Tick Precautions This Summer
A perfect summer hike can turn annoying fast when something smaller than a sunflower seed tags along for the ride. Warm days mean clear views, long trails, and that unbeatable feeling of having nowhere else to be, but they also mean tick season is in play.
Along grassy stretches and brushy edges across Colorado, those tiny hitchhikers can be easy to miss until the hike is over. That does not mean staying home.
It means hiking a little smarter. Wear light-colored clothing, check exposed skin, and pay attention after moving through shaded or overgrown sections.
A quick inspection at the trailhead can save you plenty of worry later. The best part?
None of this has to ruin the adventure. With a few simple habits in your routine, summer trails throughout the Colorado backcountry can stay focused on big views, tired legs, and the good kind of dirt under your boots.
1. State Forest State Park
State Forest State Park has the sort of name that sounds as if Colorado stamped it on a postcard and called the job finished. At 56750 Highway 14 in Walden, it deserves a slow start, a full water bottle, and a tick check that is not treated like optional homework.
Summer hikers should be careful near tall grass, brushy trail edges, and shaded spots where ticks can wait for a passing leg. Wear light-colored clothes so tiny hitchhikers are easier to see.
Tuck pants into socks if the trail gets grassy, even if the look says backyard science teacher.
Before you leave the parking area, use tick repellent as directed on the label. After the hike, check behind knees, around waistbands, under arms, and along hairlines.
Kids and dogs need a close look too, because they often explore like joyful little vacuum cleaners.
I like this park as a reminder that big outdoor days are still made of small choices. A two-minute check can protect the whole weekend.
Pack tweezers, stay centered on the trail, and save the dramatic scratching for telling stories later, preferably over snacks.
2. Vega State Park
Vega State Park, at 15247 North 6/10 Road Unit A in Collbran, feels like the kind of stop where a family can stretch its legs and remember why weekends matter. The trick is not letting a tiny tick turn a cheerful outing into a bathroom-mirror inspection marathon.
Plan for tick precautions before your shoes touch the trail. Use repellent, choose closed-toe shoes, and keep socks pulled up.
Light shirts and pants make ticks easier to spot, which is handy because ticks do not arrive wearing tiny warning signs.
Stay away from brushing against weeds or low plants when there is room to walk in the center of the path. If you stop for a snack, pick a clear spot instead of sitting deep in grass.
Back at the car, give everyone a quick scan before buckling up.
My favorite hiking rule is simple: the less guessing later, the better. Check gear, daypacks, hats, and the back of your knees after visiting Vega.
If you bring a dog, follow your vet’s tick-prevention advice and inspect ears, belly, and paws. Good trips should end with tired legs, not surprise passengers.
3. Sylvan Lake State Park
Sylvan Lake State Park in Eagle sounds peaceful before you even arrive, as if the name itself packed a picnic. Found at 10200 Brush Creek Road, it is a lovely place to remember that calm scenery and practical caution can share the same trail map.
Ticks like places where hikers, plants, and animals pass close together, so brushy edges deserve attention. Wear long sleeves if the weather allows, and choose pants instead of shorts when you plan to wander near vegetation.
A hat helps too, mostly because nobody enjoys searching through hair in a parking lot.
Keep your group on marked paths and avoid pushing through thick growth for a shortcut. Shortcuts often promise glory and deliver scratched shins.
Apply repellent before the hike, then recheck the label if your day turns long or sweaty.
After leaving Sylvan Lake, do a full tick check as soon as you can. Look slowly, because small ticks can resemble a speck of dirt with ambition.
Showering after the hike may help wash away unattached ticks. Toss clothes in a hot dryer if possible, and give shoes, socks, and packs a quick look before they enter the house.
4. Ridgway State Park
Ridgway State Park, listed at 28555 Highway 550 in Ridgway, has a road-trip rhythm to it. You can almost hear the cooler rattling in the back seat and someone asking whether the next stop has snacks.
Add tick care to that easy plan.
Summer precautions here should begin with clothing. Pick light colors, cover ankles when you can, and keep a small pair of fine-tipped tweezers in your first-aid kit.
Ticks are not impressed by scenic views, but they are very good at finding cuffs, collars, and waistbands.
While walking, stay in the middle of the trail when possible. Grass and brush along the sides can be tick territory.
If children want to explore, set clear limits so they do not wander through plants like brave little jungle guides.
Once the hike is done, pause before the drive away. Check legs, socks, shoes, and backpacks.
Later, do a more careful check at home or lodging, especially around warm, hidden areas of the body. I think of it as the unglamorous price of a good Colorado day, like washing dust from the car.
Small effort, large peace of mind.
5. Mueller State Park
Mueller State Park at 21045 Highway 67 South in Divide has a name that sounds sturdy, like a good thermos or an uncle who owns three flashlights. It is a fine place to hike with a steady head and a simple tick plan.
Before setting out, spray approved tick repellent on clothing and exposed skin, following the product directions. Consider treating hiking clothes with permethrin ahead of time if that is part of your normal outdoor routine.
Never use products in ways the label does not allow, because common sense should be invited on every hike.
On the trail, avoid brushing against shrubs or sitting in weedy spots. If you stop, choose bare ground, rock, or a clear area.
Give kids a job, like spotting trail markers, so they stay focused and less likely to plow through plants for fun.
Mueller is the sort of park where families and couples can make a low-fuss summer memory, provided everyone checks for ticks afterward. Pay special attention to ankles, scalp, waist, and the places socks grip skin.
If you find an attached tick, remove it carefully with tweezers and clean the area. Then keep watching the bite spot for changes.
6. Stagecoach State Park
Stagecoach State Park, at 25500 County Road 14 in Oak Creek, has a wonderfully old-fashioned ring, like a place where your imagination puts wheels on the clouds. Modern hikers, however, need modern tick habits tucked beside the granola bars.
Start with a pre-hike routine. Apply repellent, pull on sturdy shoes, and choose clothes that cover skin without overheating you.
A lightweight long-sleeve shirt can be a quiet hero when the trail moves near brush or grass.
Try not to wander through thick vegetation just to shave a minute from the route. Nature rarely rewards impatience with anything better than burrs, scratches, or a tick looking for real estate.
Keep pets close, and check their fur after the walk.
After visiting Stagecoach, inspect everyone before settling into the car for the next errand, meal, or scenic detour. Look around sock lines, behind ears, along the neck, and under waistbands.
If clothes are dusty or brushed against plants, bag them until they can be washed or dried on heat. My own rule is plain: the adventure is not officially over until the tick check is done, shoes are shaken, and somebody has claimed the last snack.
7. Steamboat Lake State Park
Steamboat Lake State Park in Clark, found at 61105 RCR 129, sounds like a summer promise with boot laces. It is easy to picture a happy group piling out of the car, stretching stiff knees, and forgetting that tiny ticks also enjoy warm-weather outings.
Make tick prevention part of the launch, right after sunscreen and water. Use repellent as directed, wear socks that cover ankles, and choose clothing that lets you spot crawling ticks.
Bright socks may not win fashion awards, but they are excellent little warning flags.
Keep to established trails and avoid walking through tall grass when a clear path is available. If you rest, do not flop into brushy ground just because it looks soft.
The best picnic seat is one that does not send you home with a mystery itch.
At the end, check bodies, hats, shoes, and packs. Ticks can travel on gear before finding skin later, which feels sneaky because it is.
For children, turn the check into a quick routine rather than a scary lecture. For dogs, inspect paws, ears, collar areas, and bellies.
A summer day at Steamboat Lake should leave you with photos, not pests.
8. Highline Lake State Park
Highline Lake State Park, at 1800 11.8 Road in Loma, feels like one of those Colorado names that makes a weekend sound instantly possible. No complicated expedition required, just shoes, water, and a firm decision not to donate blood to a tick.
Warm months call for steady awareness around grass, brush, and trail margins. Before hiking, apply tick repellent and dress with ankles in mind.
If you prefer shorts, be extra careful about checking legs often, because ticks are talented at turning bare skin into an invitation.
Walk where the trail is clear instead of sweeping your calves through plants. Keep children from rolling in grassy spots, even if they insist it is the funniest idea ever invented.
A quick stop on open ground is usually better than a long lounge in vegetation.
When the outing ends, slow down for a proper scan. Look at shoes, socks, pant hems, waistbands, and hairlines.
Shower soon after if you can, then check again under better light. I like Highline Lake as a reminder that easy trips still deserve smart habits.
The goal is simple: bring home dusty shoes, happy stories, and absolutely no crawling souvenirs.
9. Lathrop State Park
Lathrop State Park in Walsenburg, located at 70 County Road 502, has the dependable feel of a place chosen by someone who wants the day to go smoothly. That is exactly why tick precautions fit here so well.
They are not dramatic, just sensible.
Pack a small tick kit with fine-tipped tweezers, antiseptic wipes, and a bag for dirty clothes. Wear closed shoes and light-colored clothing, then apply repellent before the hike begins.
Ticks are small enough to make confidence a poor substitute for preparation.
While exploring, give grassy edges and brush a little distance. If a trail narrows, move through carefully and check your legs after.
Families can make it a game: spot the trail, not the weeds. Children listen better when the advice feels like a mission rather than a lecture.
After Lathrop, inspect skin carefully, especially behind knees, around socks, under arms, near the waist, and along the scalp. Check dogs according to your vet’s guidance and look beneath collars.
If you remove a tick, pull straight out with tweezers and clean the bite. Then note the date, which may help if symptoms appear later.
Simple steps can keep the memory pleasantly ordinary.
10. Trinidad Lake State Park
Trinidad Lake State Park, at 32610 Highway 12 in Trinidad, sounds like a fine final stop on a Colorado summer list, the kind of place where the car gets quiet because everyone is looking out the windows. Keep that good mood by planning for ticks.
Begin with clothes that reduce easy access to skin. Long pants, higher socks, and closed shoes help, especially near brush or grass.
Add repellent, read the label, and bring tweezers, because a tiny tool can prevent a large amount of fuss.
Trail edges deserve respect. Stay centered when you can, avoid sitting in thick vegetation, and shake out blankets or jackets before packing them away.
If you hike with children, remind them that trails are for walking, not disappearing into weeds like cartoon explorers.
Before leaving Trinidad Lake, do a quick check at the trailhead, then a deeper one later. Ticks can hide in warm spots, under waistbands, behind ears, and along hairlines.
Place worn clothes in the wash or dryer when possible. My feeling is that tick care is like locking the front door before a trip: boring, quick, and very comforting once it is done.